SpaceX launched the first satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO) that uses 5G cellular standard, called "The GroundBreaker".
The GroundBreaker is a 22-pound orbital data relay that is part of a constellation of over 250 spacecraft designed to fill gaps in data networks worldwide.
Sateliot_0, the company behind the satellite, hopes to revolutionize global access to the Internet of Things (IoT).
Sateliot sees a massive opportunity to expand on the possibilities of connected devices and to fill an 85% gap in mobile connectivity across the planet.
The satellite is designed to communicate with terrestrial cell towers and is intended for multiple public and private markets, including road, rail, air, and sea transportation.
Sateliot's IoT network between ground and orbital cellular relays allows for seamless switching from a terrestrial to a non-terrestrial 5G network, without the need for extra hardware.
Sateliot_0 is the first of the company's satellites that will orbit the Earth every 90 minutes, providing coverage areas three times the size of Texas.
Sateliot has already announced sales over $1.3 billion.
The company has not announced a launch date for its next satellite but hints at a SpaceX Falcon Heavy liftoff.
Several megaconstellations, including Starlink, the European Union, China, and Amazon's Project Kuiper, are planned or under development.
Sateliot's technology allows for the merging of cellular terrestrial telecom with satellite connectivity.